Starting apparatus for internal combustion engines



IN VEN TOR.

.No L o.. ,.a. ,.a.. .3...

NOV- 14, 1933- M. s. PARKHILL.

STARTING APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed May 12, 1932 mama QWNI- I- 1 -lfmwf 11:5

Patented Novpla 1933 l nuire s PATENT 1 Ingersoll-Rand'Company, Jersey- City,

corporation oNew Jersey N. J., aa'

Application May 12,1932. serial No. y610,359'

4 claims. '(01. eso-16) f This invention relates to. internal combustion engines and more particularlytostarting apparatus therefor. Y Y

The invention has for its objecttofacilitate iijthe starting of internal combustiony engines of large size.` f f A further object of the invention is to enable compressionrin the engine cylinder to be relieved while the fly-wheel is being rotated to a suitable lostarting position.

Other objects and advantages thereof will-be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter. l -v The invention will be more'completely under- -A stood byV reference to the accompanying drawv ing, 'in which, f

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal ysection throughthe cylinder of an internal combustion enginefemwhich isV mounted'a `fly-wheel 28.l Thecylinder 10 is provided with a suitable head 30.

While the invention is equally suitable for use in any form of reciprocating internal combustion engine, the particular form here shown is adapted to consume gas and for this purpose a suitable mixing throttle valve 32 is provided connected by means of the manifold 34 to the valve inlet chamber 36 controlled by an inlet valve 38. A 4@- valve 40 is also provided for the discharge of the burned gases.

The inlet and exhaust valves 38 and 40 are voperated by rocker arms 42 only one of which is shown, driven by suitable cams 44 on theV cam shaft 46. Preferably the cam shaft 46is driven in this instance at half the crank shaft speed byr a train of gears 48 and 50 actuated by a sprocket 52 connected by a chain 54 to a sprocket 56 on the crank shaft 26.

v y The engine may Yinclude as many cylinders as desired inV this instance, there being two, the cylinder 11 being substantially identical with the cylinder 10. f

Large engines of the character above described 55. are usually started by air pressure admitted to through theY disv A cross-head pinl 20journalled on the end "of the'v connecting rod. 22 connects the cross-head v16 tov the lcrank pin :24 of the crank. shaft I 26 uponA the cylinder 10 asa substitute for the explosive mixturavthe air being distributed lto thecylinders by suitable timing apparatus. Such an arrangement is .provided in this instance, there being a distributor valve 58. supplied with air fromr areceptacle and itsrcompressor 61 by means of a pipe 62 provided with an air starting valve 64and.distributing the supply of air by means of pipesv66 and 68to the cylinders 10l and 11 respectively. The distributor 58 comprises a body 70 having an air inletcharnber 72. into which'the pipe 62 leads, and two discharge chambers 74 and '76 to'which the pipes 66 and 68 relspectively are connected. K v y n Communication between the chamberY 72 and the chambers '74 and 76 is controlled by tappet. valves v78 and 80 Vrespectively which are actuated by rocker arms 82 and 84 respectively. The arms 82 and 84are rocked -upon `4their pivot 86 bya cam 88 mounted on Vthe cam shaft k46.

. Each of the pipesA 66 and 68 lead to-a valvecasing 90 which isinsertedA into the head30 of the cylinder 10 or 11' `through an aperture 92r and seats tightlyon the inner Wall 94 ofthe head. The valvecasing 90V is hollow, being provided with a passageway 96 with which pipes 66 and 68 communicate, this passage .terminating at 'the' valve seat-97 `which V"opens into the4 'interiorfof the cylinder. [A check valve 93 seating on ythe seat 97 is provided with a stem'lOO Whicheii' tends through la close-.fitting A.bore 10,2 in the valve casing 90 and terminate's'in'a threaded portion 104 upon which is mounted a hand- Wheel 106. The hand-wheel 106'is prevented `from being unscrewed on the end of the Avalve stem by means of an :abutment 108 lmounted means of a spring 110 about the threaded end 104 of the valve and pressing against the handing at the bottom of a recess 112 inthe valve casing 90. The hand-wheel 106 is adapted to be screwed up upon the threaded end 104 of the valve to hold the valvef98 rigidly upon its seat in which position the' spring 110 is compressed Within the recess 112 and the hand-wheel 106V abuts the outer face of the casing 90. When the hand-wheel is in its outermost position against the abutment 108 the valve may be held partly offits seat by means of a latch 114y pivotally attached to a lug'116 on thecasing 90 and having a hook end 118 for the engagement with the rim of the hand-,wheel'1`06.

In starting an engine of the type above depermitting the air displaced by movement of the piston to escape from the cylinder. By this in vention the check valve 98 is utilized as a means of escape for this air and to this end the latch 114 is adapted to engage the hand-wheel 106 to depress the valve 98 against the pressure of the spring 110. Therefore, in preparation to turning the fly-wheel the hand-wheel 166 is screwed out against the abutment 108 and pushed in against the pressure of the spring 110 and the latch 114 is then slipped over the hand-wheel. Preferably the valve 98 is held by the latch 114 just slightlyv oi its seat 97. While the valve is in this position the air pumped out through the seat 96 passes back through the pipe 66 into the chamber 74 through the chamber 72 and thence into the chamber 76 and pipe 68 to the valve casing 90 of the cylinder 11.

The valve 98 of the cylinder 11 is similarly held on" its seat by its latch 114, therefore the atmospheric air ejected from the cylinder l0 passes into the cylinder 11 and thence to atmosphere past the valves 38 or 40 of the cylinder l1.

It is to be understood that thevalves .78 and 80 of the distributor 58 drop ofi their seats by gravity, while the pressure in the chambers 72, 74 and 76 is equalized.

The piston 12 having been brought to a position which it occupies at the beginning of its power stroke when operating as a combustion engine, the valves 64 may be opened to admit air under pressure to the chamber 72 whereupon the air pressure closes the valve 80 and passes through the pipe 66 to the passageway 96 of the valve casing 90 and thence'past the valve 98 into the cylinder l0. The pressure of the air, however, is suicient to throw rthe valve 98 further open whereupon the'latch 114 is released from the `hand-wheel 106 permitting the latch 114 to drop by gravity. Upon being released the valve 98 operates in its normal manner as a check valve and prevents return of compressed gas from the cylinder 10.

Thus by the above described construction are accomplished, amongst others, the objects and advantages hereinbefore referred to.

I claim:

1. Starting apparatus for reciprocating internal combustion engines comprising a source of Vcompressed air, timed distributor means for controlling the flow of air from said source to the cylinderl of said engine, a conduit leading from said distributor to the cylinder, a check valve associated with said conduit and having a stern, said check valve being actuated by the compressed air ilowing into the cylinder of the engine f and means for holding saidcheck valve open, comprising a latch to engage said stem and being automatically released from the check valve upon movement of the check valve. l

3. Starting apparatus for reciprocating internal combustion engines comprising a source or" compressed air, timed distributor means for controlling the flow of air from said source to the cylinder of said engine, a conduit leading from saidV distributor to the cylinder, a cheek valve associated with said conduit and automatically releasable means for holding said check valve open, said Valve including a threaded stem, a handwheel on said stem, a latch engaging said hand- Wheel.

4. Starting apparatus for reciprocating internal combustion engines comprising a source of compressed air, timed distributor means for con-r trolling the ilow of air Vfrom said source to the cylinder of said engine, a conduit leading from said distributor to the cylinder, and a check valve associated with said conduit, said valveincluding a hollow casing, a valve extending through said casing and having a threaded'end, a hand-wheel,

spring means interposed between said casing and said hand-wheel and an automatically releasing latch on said casing to engage said hand-wheel.

' vMORTIMER S. PARKHILL. 

